Siam in-between: Ahaan Krung, cooking reveals ‘Thainess’

Conscious or not, prolonged exposure to anything will influence a person. Whether dramatic (like radiation) or just slightly worrying (like Ed Sheeran), the impact cannot be denied. Over the past years I have been significantly exposed to Thai culture. Cooking up dinner, I just realized how profound this impact has become. But you know what? I wouldn’t have it any other way.

More than 6 years ago, I met my wife by accident in Phimai, in Thailand’s Nakhon Ratchasima province. For an undetermined reason, we just clicked. I guess some things don’t have an unclear cause, but a very real impact. Over the past years our lives have intermingled. She has grown accustomed to my Farang ways, I have a considerable amount of Thai molecules under my skin.

Slightly feeling under the weather, I started cooking on autopilot tonight. I always have fresh produce in at hand, which I like to mix up spontaneously. Usually, when I just whip something up, the result is usually Mediterranean in style.

Talking to my wife over Messenger on this occasion, I started cooking without giving it much thought. What did I end up with? I guess I could call it Massaman Kai Steven-style. Basil-flavoured chicken with locally-sourced fresh onion, French mushroom and fresh broccoli, slowly cooked in a Thai massaman curry sauce and with Jasmin rice on the side. Paired with a 2013 Spanish Rioja, it was amazing.

Truly Fusion cooking (‘ahaan krung’, but don’t quote me on that) I can’t wait what interesting cultural mashups are in our future. On March 17th Khwantippa is moving over to Belgium. You know what? I can’t wait!